New collection vehicle... ;)
Put out 15 early taps so I could do a boil or 2 before the real season starts. I taps a few trees thats werent accessible by truck or walking. I got tired of carrying 5 gallon buckets a half mile....so I put my pack frame to use. I think you guys will get a kick out of it. Made 2 trips tonight and collected 10 gallons...3.5 miles total for the 2 trips via bike.
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The things we'll do for some sap.
first year 2012 50 taps late season made 2 1/2 gals.
2013 2x6 homemade arch 180 taps. 20 Gals.
2014 40 on 3/16 gravity 160 on buckets.
http://omasranch.wix.com/omasmaple
You aren't serious.....
FIRST GENERATION SUGARMAKER
First boil 2/22/2012! Went Pefect!
3,500' of laterals
1,000' of mainline
2012 - 105 taps on gravity, 12 sap sacks.
2013 - 175 taps on gravity, 25 on sacks = 200 taps for 2013! Second year.
2014 - 250 taps on gravity, 25 on sacks
Tapped on February 16, 2014
2015 - adding vac sap puller no more gravity for me!
275 gallon holding tank for 2014
20'x30' Sugarhouse
Wow, that's dedication. Myself, I'd look for a couple trees closer to home....
1980 - 6 taps, stone fire pit, drain pan evaporator, 1 pint of syrup
2016 - 55 taps on 3/16 and gravity, new sugar shack, 2x3 Mason XL, 16 gallons of syrup
2017 - 170 taps on 3/16, 2x4 Mason XL, NextGen RO. 50 gallons of syrup
2018 - 250+ taps on gravity and buckets, 2x5 Smokey Lake arch and Beaverland pan.
2019 - 250+ taps on gravity. A few buckets. 35 gallons of syrup.
2020 - 300+ taps on gravity. 50 gallons of syrup.
2021 - 280 taps on gravity and 40 buckets. 35 gallons of syrup.
I didnt plan on it being hard to collect but o well. The bike made it easier. I mountain bike a lot so this didnt surprise my wife. My main trees are close to the house so it wont been like this in a few wks.
I'm not sure if that's awesome or a little tetched in the head. I mtn. bike, trail run, and ski back country...3.5 miles is a warm up. I play soccer all summer...probably run 3.5 miles per game. I'll track a big buck in the northwoods for 3.5 miles and never even break a sweat. But two trips 3.5 miles on a bike with 5 gallons of sap on my back? I think I'd rather just use Log Cabin.
Good job man!
16x24 Timber Frame Sugar House
Mason 2x4 Evaporator
90 trees on buckets
Makes perfect sense to combine a couple of things you like to do.
2019-2023 40 to 50 taps to get 8 to 10 gallons of syrup
2018 Built the sugar shack, produced 10.5 gallons (converted some to sugar,& cream). taps varied 45 to 50
2017 Built 2x4 arch for a divided pan, 8.5 gallons from 30 taps increased to 42 taps during season.
2016 Produced 3 gallons & 1 quart Syrup, Block arch & 3 buffet pans, 12 taps
2015 Thought about tapping
I use a bicycle powered pump to transfer sap into my head tank. It's an old Fuji mountain bike frame with a 700c wheel and no tire. A V-belt fits perfectly into the rim. The belt turns a pulley on a March homebrew pump. It works pretty good. At a decent cadence I can pump about 8-9 GPM. When I have volunteers around the shack it's great. When I'm cooking alone, not so much. This year I'll be switching it back to electric. Guess I'm getting lazy. rps20170117_150711_862.jpg
-Ryan
Went off the deep end. Might be in over my head...
That pump is awesome! I always wanted to convert a bike trainer and a motor into a bike generator just to play with.
Good job sbedilion, I haven't hauled sap on my mtn bike yet, but I ride it down to the suarbush about everyday, my wife has hauled up to 100lbs of feed in our child trailer turned cargo trailer behind her Jamis, our daughter has her own bike now, and Moto, I really like the pump idea, I have a couple parts frames layin around, now I know a good use for em, just need to find a pump now
'12 15 jugs - Steam pans
'17 125 3/16 - 18" x 72" drop flue on homemade arch
'18 240 3/16 - Deer Run 125
'19 450 3/16 - Converted RO to electric/added a membrane
'20 600 3/16 - Maple Pro 2x6 Raised Flue, added AOF/AUF
'21 570 3/16 - Built steam hood, Smoky Lake filter press
'22 800 3/16 - Upgraded RO to 4 4x40
'23 500 3/16 - Re-plumbed RO, new "Guzzler"
'24 500 3/16 - Steam Away, DIY 8x40 RO
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